Scraper employing razor blade



July 1, 1952 T. KELLER 2,601,723

SCRAPER EMPLOYING RAZOR BLADE Filed Dec. 15, 1947 INVE NTOR '771,o11zasKe /le r- ATTORNEYS Patented July 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE-soRAPER EMPLoYINe Razon. BLADE Thomas Keller, Minneapolis, Minn.,assignor to Cedarberg Manufacturing Company Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., acorporation of Minnesota Application December 15, 1947, Serial No.791,841

(Cl. SII-162) 3 Claims. 1

My invention relates to improvements in scrapers of the type adapted tobe held in and operated by one hand of the user, as for scraping frost,sleet, snow, paint, sticker-signs and the like from window panes orother surfaces. I

An' object of the invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive andcompact article of the instant nature having a minimum number of partsdesigned andcooperating to provide a troublefree device that iseiiicient, safe and easily operated by any novice in performance of theoperations above noted, or in the cutting and `slitting of variousmaterials.

More specifically, it is an object of my invention to provide a scraper,employing a blade, such as theconventional safety razor blade, andincluding a handleand a slide releasably gripping the blade and movablyguided by the handle to project and expose the blade forwardly of saidhandle and to retract and sheath said blade within the handle in aposition guarded thereby.

`Another object of the'invention is to provide 'a handle and slide, asabove indicated, wherein said handle and slide cooperate to hold a.second or reserve blade in shielded position of non-use pending the needtherefor in replacement of the working blade.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination andarrangement of parts and in thedetails of construction hereinafterillustrated and/ or described. Y

In the drawing, Fig. l is a plan view of an embodiment of my invention,said view showing the slide in retracted position within the handle of"the" device; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken as on theline 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the structureshown in Figs. 1 and 2, portions of the parts being broken away and theslide being shown projected to'present the blade in working positionrelative to the handle; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing thebowed slide flattened, as under the pressure of a users thumb, to freethe latch member of the slide from the abutment stops on the handle;Fig- 5 is a detail perspective view of the handle of the illustratedscraper; Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the slide; Fig. 7 is afragmentary view showing the underside of the slide at the forward endthereof and illustrating particularly the lower blade-holding jaw ofsaid slide, and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view showing the underside ofthe slide at the rear end` thereof and illustrating particularly areserve blade and the blade-holding means on said slide forV saidreserve blade.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the illl'ustratedembodiment of my invention includes a handle A and a slide B, both beingformed of sheet material.

The handle A is of channel-like construction open at its forward end andclosed at the rear end thereof,V said handle consisting of an elongatedback I0, upturned webs` I I, I I extending along the sides of said backI0, and flanges I2, I2 turned inwardly from said webs II, Il. Closingthe rear end 'of said handle A, the'web I I and flange I2 at one side ofthe handle merge along curved lines with the web I I and flange I2 atthe other side' of said handle, such merger of webs and flangesproviding a rounded rear end :for the handle A which renders the samecomfortable to the hand of the user. Near its rear end andintermediately of the webs II, I I, the back I0 of the handle A isformed with a short slot I3 extending transversely thereof. The rearwall of the slot I3 provides a forwardly facing abutment 'I4 `and theforward Wall of said slot I3 provides a rearwardly facing abutment I5.Forwardly of 'said slot I3,` the back I0 of the handle A is indentedfrom beneath to form -a hump I B and thereby elevate above the uppersurfaceof the back I0 a portion of the rearwardly facing abutment wallI5 of said slot I3. I

`The slide B includes an elongated body I'I of resilient materialupwardly bowed longitudinally thereof, the forward portion of said bodyI'I being formed with a downwardly opening socket I8 extendingtransversely across the same near the front edge thereof and furtherformed with reinforcing beads IQ extending rearwardly from said socketI8 along the edges of said body, said forward portion of the body I1thus formed constituting an upper jaw c. Said slide B further includes alower jaw d of sheet material which generally matches said upper jaw c,said lower jaw d being secured along its rear margin to the underside ofthe body I 'I transversely thereof. This lower jaw d is` formed near itsforward lend with an upwardly opening socket 20 extending thereacrossand `mating with the socket I 8 in the upper jaw c. Said lower jaw d isformed with reinforcing beads extending rearwardly from said socket 20,beads 2 I, 2I being formed along the edges of said lower jaw dlongitudinally of the body I1 and bead 22 being formed between saidbeads 2l, 2| and likewise extending longitudinally of said body I'I. Anear 23 upwardly turned from the lower jaw d provides a stop rat one endof the socket 20 in said jaw. At the rear of the slide B the body I'Ithereof is provided with an extension 24 at the terminus of which isdownturned lug 25. Said extension 24 and lug 25 constitute a latchingmember for the slide which cooperates with the abutment walls I4, I5 ofthe slotl I3 in the back I0 of the handle A, as will later appear.

The jaws c, d constructed, as above noted, accommodate the well knownform of expendable blade commonlyl used in safety razors, such a bladeas at 2G having a sharpened' forward edge 21 and a reinforcing rib 2Sextending along the rear edge thereof. A blade 26 of said nature isslipped endwise between the jaws c, d from one side of the slide B, theupper and lower portions of the rib 28 taking position respectively inthe sockets I8, 20 of said upper and lower jaws c, d, and the bladeproper in advance of the rib 28, but to the rear of the sharpened edge-21, taking position between blade gripping lips 29, 29 of said jaws,which lips comprise the marginal portions of the jaws forwardly of saidsockets I8, 20. The length of the blade 2,6, corresponds substantiallywithV the width of the slide B, said blade 2'6 upon its insertionbetween the jaws c, d being pushed therealong until the leading end ofthe blader engages the. stop-forming ear 23. From the.r foregoing, itwilll be appreciated that the sockets I8, 2U in the jaws c, d whichreceive the ribbededge of the blade 2G deprive said blade of movement,relative to the slide B longitudinally thereof, and that said ear 2-3 onthe lower jaw d deprives said blade 26 of movement relative to thefslideB. laterally thereof in one direction.

`Toassemble the slide B with the handle A, the former is simplylinserted rear end foremost into the latter,V the body I'I` of theupwardly bowed slide being therewith flexed slightly to atten thesamej.: Thusppositioning the slide B within the handle A, 'the rear endof the body I'I of said slide serves asV a bearing as at 30, whichyieldingly ridesv along the back Il]1 offsaid handle, while the lower`jaw d serves asa shoe likewise to-ride along said back I0'. Oppositely,the marginal upper portionsof the bowed body II at the crest thereofyieldingly bear'against and ride along the lower Surfaces ofthe flangesI2, I2 of said handle A. Approximately centrally of theV body I'I, anupstanding bulge 3'I is provided to serve as thumbrest. Grasping thedevice in theV fingers of his hand, a user will apply his thumb tosaid'V thumbrest 3ft and by convenient manipulation of the slideB maypropel and repel the same relative tothe handle A to project the blade26 into an exposed. position for use as for scraping or cutting (Fig.3,) and to retract said blade into position of disuse sheathedv withinthe handle A (Fig. 2). j

When' the slide B is repelled, the extension 24 thereon will strike theweb II of the handle A atthe: rear thereof and limit the retraction. ofthe blade 26- which takesy its sheathed position Within` saidhandle A.In this sheathed position of the blade 2,6, it is to be noted that thesharpened edge 2,1, thereof is held by the jaws c, d flatly against theupper surface of the back Ii) of the handle A. InV this disposition ofthe edge 2'I relative 'to the back I0, said edge is effectively guarded.WhenV the slideB- is propelled to ad- Vance the blade'26 intoworkingposition (Fig. 3), the-latch lug` 25v is sprung into the slot I3by thev flexed resilient extension 24 and engages the rearwardly facingabutment wall I5 of said slotthus arresting the forward movement of theslideB and establishing theblade 26v in its positionlof use. In thisconnection, it is to be noted that; the raising of a. portion of theabutment walll I5I above the upper surface-of the back Ill of the handleA insures the catching of said wall I5 by the latch lug 2'5 upon aforward thrust of the slide B` to present the blade 26 in workingposition. With the latch lug 25 positioned within the slot I3, saidlatch lug engages the forwardly facing abutment wall I4, therebypreventing retrograde movement of the slide B in the handle A as theblade 2B is used in scraping or cutting operations. To enable the slideB to be moved back from its operative position (Fig. 3) to itsinoperative position (Fig. 2), the user simply presses downv on thethumb-rest 3| on the body I'I of the slide to unlatch the slide from theback I0 of the handle A and thereupon retracts thel then free slide.Such downward unlatching pressure brought'to bear on the body II of theslide A biases the extension 24 upwardly with thel result that the latchlug 24 is withdrawn from the slot I3 in the handle.

The slide B is provided with an extra or reserve blade 32 to replace'the blade Worn. out inv the jaws c, d.v To this end, oppositely directedbladeholding fingers 33 are struck down out of the bowed body I'I' ofsaid slide. Thesex fingers 3'3 receive and carry the extra blade 32'crosswise beneath said body I'I and deprive said blade of lateralmovement relative to saidk body longitudinally thereof, longitudinallmovementof said blade relative to said body If'I4 laterally thereofbeing permitted by the-fingers 33 to admit of the endwise application ofthe extra blade 32 to said slide B and the endwise removal of said extrablade from the slide. With thevv slide B in place within the handle A,the Webs II, II of said handle actl to hold the" extra blade 32 againstendwise dislodgement from the blade-holding fingers 33' on the slide.And, too, the one of said webs II opposite the ear 23 on jaw d acts tohold the working blade 26 against endwise dislodgement from the jaws c,d. To render the extra blade accessible, the slide B- is slid from thehandleA and this is accomplished by rstbringing thumb pressure to bearupon the body II of said slidev (Fig. 4)-, whereby thel latch lug 25 iselevated above the raised portion of the rearwardly facing. abutmentwalli I5 of thev slot I3 in said handle. Having removed the'slideB fromthe handle A, the user may slip the extra blade 32. out` of the grasp ofthey blade-holding fingers 3i"r and use-itin replacement ofthe workingblade 26 previously held in the jaws c, d.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have devised anexceedingly simple, compact, durableand inexpensive device in= which theslide B is readily propelled and repelled along theY handle A by' thethumb ofV the users hand in which the device is held, the stopping andlatching of the slide B being effected automatically, and the unlatchingof theA slide being effected under pressure of the thumb brought againstthe bodyY I'I of the slide without chang-ing the position of the thumbas usedl in shifting the slide B forwardly andv backwardly in the handleA.

Changes in the specific formr of my invention, as herein described; maybeI made within the scope; of what is claimed` without departing fromthespirit of my invention.

Having. described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1l. In a scraper, a channel-like handle open at its forward. end andcomprising an elongated planiform' back, ar web member upstanding fromsaid back along either Side thereof, and a flangev member' extendinginwardly fromeach of the web members, said web members and fiangemembersslide carried by the handle and including an elongated upwardly bowedbody of resilient sheet material, a blade mounted on the body at theforward end thereof, said slide slidably bearing at the front and rearof said body against the back of the handle, said body intermediatelymarginally thereof slidably bearing against the flanges of said handle,said slide being adapted to be propelled and repelled relative to thehandle and flexed to flatten the bowed body thereof by the thumb of ausers hand grasping said handle, said slide further including a latchmember consisting of a rearward extension of said body and a latch lugdepending from said extension, said back of said handle being formedwith a forwardly facing abutment and a rearwardly facing abutment, thelatch lug of said latch member being adapted normally to engage saidrearwardly facing abutment upon the forward propulsion of the slide tolimit its forward movement in projection of the blade into workingposition and adapted normally to engage said forwardly facing abutmentto prevent the slide from having retrograde movement retracting saidblade from said Working position thereof, the attening of the bowed bodyof said slide acting to bias said latch member upwardly relative to theback of said handle sufficiently to swing said latch lug clear of saidforwardly facing abutment and thus free the slide for retraction intosaid handle.

2. In a scraper, a channel-like handle open at its forward end andcomprising an elongated planiform back, a web member upstanding fromsaid back along either side thereof, and a flange member extendinginwardly from each of the web members, a slide carried by the handle andincluding an elongated upwardly bowed body of resilient sheet material,upper and lower jaws at the forward end of said body, a blade, saidblade being clamped at its rear portion between said jaws and having asharpened front edge exposed forwardly of the jaws, said slide slidablybearing at the front and rear of said body against the back of thehandle, said body intermediately marginally thereof slidably bearingagainst the flanges of the handle, said slide being adapted to bepropelled and repelled relative to the handle and flexed to flatten thebowed body thereof by the thumb of a users hand grasping said handle,said slide further including a latch member consisting of a rearwardextension of said body and a latch lug depending from said extension,said back of said handle being formed with a slot therein providing aforwardly facing abutment and rearwardly facing abutment, the latch lugof said latch member being adapted normally to engage said rearwardlyfacing abutment upon the forward propulsion of the slide to limit itsforward movement in projection of the blade into working position andadapted normally to engage said forwardly facing abutment to prevent theslide from having retrograde movement retracting said blade from saidworking position thereof, the flattening of the bowed body of said slideacting to bias said latch member upwardly relative to the back of saidhandle sufliciently to swing said latch lug clear of said abutments andthus free the slide for forward and backward movement along said handle.

3. In a scraper, a channel-like handle open at its forward end andcomprising an elongated planiform back, a web member upstanding fromsaid back along either side thereof, and a flange member extendinginwardly from each of the web members, a slide carried by the handle andincluding an elongated upwardly bowed body of resilient sheet material.the forward portion of said body constituting an upper jaw, a lower jawsecured to said body, a blade, said blade having a rear portion adaptedto be received between said jaws and having a sharpened front edgeadapted to be exposed forwardly of the jaws, said jaws being adapted toprevent said blade from having movement relative to the slide in adirection longitudinally thereof, the rear portion of said bodyconstituting a rear bearing for the slide, said lower jaw providing afront bearing for said slide, said bearings slidably bearing against theback of said handle, and the body of the slide intermediately marginallythereof slidably bearing against the fianges of the handle, said slidebeing adapted to be propelled and repelled relative to the handle andflexed to flatten the bowed body thereof by the thumb of a users handgrasping said handle, said slide further including a latch member whollycontained within the handle, said latch member consisting of a rearwardextension of said body and a latch lug depending from said extension,said back of said handle being formed with a' forwardly facing abutment,the latch lug of said latch member being adapted to engage saidforwardly facing abutment to prevent the slide from Shaving retrogrademovement retracting said blade from projected working position, thenattening of the bowed body of said slide to swing said latch lug clearof said abutment and free the slide acting to bias said latch memberupwardly relative to the handle sufficiently for the aforesaidretrograde movement thereof.

THOMAS KELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,291,514 Warner et al. July 2B,1942 2,404,141 Nelson July 16, 1946

